“Ripe Prickly Pears”

Description from Little Round Chick: Every day when the dog and I take our walk we pass by a huge patch of prickly pears. I've watched them go from sunshine yellow blossoms in the spring to fruit that is quickly getting ripe.

Valentine Chick, for you I’ve got such a deal. When we go for our walk today I’ll take the camera along and “shoot the prickly pear.” As for wild cacti, I can find some simi-wild ones and I’ll take photos of them, too. Most of what I have in my yard are very tame little critters but one of them is BIG and has BIG spines! Maybe I should drape some jewelry on it and see if that will give it a more civilized appearance.

Sweet Chick, I have never done any thing with the fruit but they are available in the grocery stores here, especially the ones that carry a large selection of ethnic foods. I’ll take a few close-ups to share.

Thanks so much for posting the pictures of the cacti!!! I have never seen the fruit growing on one before. Have you ever eaten them? Your pick is a wonderful representation of the plant and the fruit. Great job!

Wow those pictures are AWESOME! Thank you so much for posting them! It is so nice to have friends from all over the country and world through LB!! Otherwise, some of us wouldn’t know much about other parts!!

There are three different varieties of prickly pear in this patch. One has pads that are as big as a dinner plate with very few prickles, one has long sort of thin pads that look a bit like a cow’s tongue and the third kind has the smallest pads, salad plate size but is positively fuzzy with prickles. I pretty sure this is a very old patch.

This is a spectacular pick, LRC…I love this color combo!!! Of course in my part of the country people would look at it and automatically think “watermelon”! Those pics of the prickly pear are awesome! I would love to visit your part of the country and see them “up close and personal”. Maybe someday….
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